The present invention is directed to coated recording sheets such as transparencies and papers. More specifically, the present invention is directed to coated transparent recording sheets particularly suitable for use in electrophotographic and ink jet printing processes, and yet more specifically, the present invention is directed to xerographic and ink jet printable coated recording sheets such as transparencies comprised of a plastic substrate such as a polyester such as MYLAR.RTM.; (1) a first hydrophilic antistatic coating on the front surface of the substrate, (2) a second hydrophilic ink/toner receiving coating on the top of the first hydrophilic coating and capable of wetting and spreading the toner, (3) a third hydrophilic antistatic image enhancing coating on the backside of the substrate, and (4) a fourth hydrophilic ink/toner receiving coating in contact with the third antistatic coating on the back/reverse side of the substrate.
Specifically the present invention is directed to a method of preparing porous low haze, as measured with a XL-21 Hazegard, Hazemeter, and which low is for example, less than about 10, and more specifically, from about 3 to about 10, as measured by subtracting the value of transmittance of light through a transparency from 100, thus if the transmittance is 90, the haze value is 10, coated transparencies comprised of a supporting plastic substrate with two coating layers on the front side and two coating layers on the reverse side of the substrate; wherein the front side coatings are comprised of a first antistatic hydrophilic layer in contact with the substrate, and a second hydrophilic ink/toner receiving coating situated on top of the first coating and wherein the two coatings in contact with the reverse side of the substrate are comprised of a third hydrophilic antistatic luminescent coating in contact with the substrate, and a fourth hydrophilic ink/toner receiving layer on top of the third hydrophilic antistatic coating. The primary function of the back coatings is to prevent unnecessary transparency curling, for example values of more than about 25 millimeters are not usually considered acceptable, before and after ink jet printing with aqueous inks. Furthermore, the back coatings primarily enable for example the proper feeding of the transparencies in xerographic copiers, and avoidance, or minimization curling during the hot roll image fusing process. Moreover, in view of the presence of luminescent materials in the third coating the image density on the ink/toner layer is enhanced, for example, when the backgrounds are luminescent and colored such as magenta or yellow, the optical density values of the background adds up to the values of the optical density values of the image, thus these images appear brighter, such as on a yellow fluorescent background. The two front coatings can be applied simultaneously using a two slot die and dried at by heating such as heating at about 100 to about 125.degree. C. The two back coatings can also be applied with a two slot die and are preferably dried by heating such as heating at about 140 to about 200, and more specifically about 150.degree. C. to remove any excess trapped moisture remaining in the front coatings.